herrschaft



March 121928. 1,662,704

w. HERRSCHAFT DISPLAY SIGN Filed Nov. 5. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 13,1928.

W. HERRSCHAFT DISPLAY SIGN Filed Nov. 5, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 M w nDISPLAY-T itlpliczrtion lllCtl November My present invention relates toluminous .isoluV ns employed for adve ising and ms l l erred applicationto'signs of the type used in display rooms and store win- (lows and notexposed to external weather conditions.

Among the objects of the invention are to pr vide a display sign of lowcost and rrc'g'ed construction which can be easily d expeditiously madeup without the use t any tools whetsoey r, to provide at will n1 readingmatter or color eilect desired. and which. in use, produces a strikinglyatl'l tive and luxurious effect with a minim 1 consumption of electricpower.

- nether ohject is to provide replaceable trill icent character unitsespecially useful in u of the character set fertln but zippliczthle toother uses, which shall though of very little cost, produce the effect,in service. solid of polished illuminated oi. ss, marble or ember.

objec ma he accoriplished in a msnlay sign witla zinc affording winfor itionin replaceable transcharecter units preferably locked in z. (e by anzippropra e oucii'ii g. which rm 1 tor carrying colored gelatin perstrips. to modify the trensnn In a preferred specific embodim nt, -1ccharacter frame is a sheet metal ".l cntingr rows or tiers ory-iindowQerlures. and the backing is a. slate hinged pcsi thereto unl providedwith corresponding windows. Each of the character units has :i holdingportion protruding lateral therefrom. which securely clumped place hetwen the slats oi? the character and of the backing plate, that definewinder.- openings thereof.

red effect of the. solid slabs of gliss, u etl in'the ember may he prot..c

".uter units by lining the sari e shape. hollow 1n the interior peteraly of purutiin paper. such is employer. 1 drinking cups, and havingthe symbol of imprinted thereon in opaque pi The securing men "or thecharacter unit m 1 \;;b L is preferably is rini formed as an intepru'part of the tray.

light-tight, so @llltlll'ttll only the tray shaped accompanying drawingsin. which is shown one of i possible embodiments of the several featuresor" this in i front TiCW of? the sie'n is a. transverse sections .heline 22 of Fig. l, showi cover open position,

Fig, is sectional View on scale taken on the l e 3-3 Fi 1.

v J I i L c View inoicuting the .s at inching the same u u. perspee -.e.view of the exore of the churactcrs,

'1 :1 si iiler to Fig. snowing and 5 section to the d awings.

anti s spondingly "apbottom wells 12 provided TPUlIllRI'HIQ uir erturesfor the escape ed h the linip hull) l "3e 01 tic 1- surteces 01" "hearious walls "'ihl -I reflecto s. it the front of i of the lower edge prruoly hin ed luminous cover, carr --te'c oi the sign This in closedposihe. upper rail tn will an upto: 12 of the n which is pro t metalsupport or .mlElOllS characters.

iler opentie char- \3 s retained.

. .udinel sheet metal ip which may he soldered or otherwise i e of thecharacter secured to the ipper ed .13 V O J .1. 1 11 H1 Maine alltlsenes LO 1oic in POSlClOIl We tea shown Q l have shown lower edge of arectangular glass panel 24, the upper edge of which is retained within alongitudinal sheet metal strip 25 secured to the upper rail 17 of theframe. In back of the window panel, will be mounted a translucent papersheet 26 affording a titlea removable longitudinal lock strip 31interlocks with the downturned upper edge 32 of the backing plate and.with the rear rail of the window supporting strip 23. This lock railextends preferably the entire length of the sign and has an outstandingrectangular handle portion 33 by which it can be easily shifted forapplication and removal thereof.

The backing plate has longitudinal holdi-Irg strips 84 soldered thereto,which serve to mount preferably translucent colored strips 85 of gelatinor paper, that may be placeably held in back of the windows. Verticalrods 36 are soldered in position at the various rails of said backingplate at the rear thereof and serve to= stiffen the construction andalso to retain the gelatin strips against curling out of place, due tothe heat of the lamp.

A preferred character unit is shown. in Figs; 5 and 6. It comprisessimply a rectangular element of ordinary paper of the grade commonlyused" for paper drinking cups stamped into a rectangular tray shape, asshown, and including, in particular, a rectangular face 37, integralupstanding side walls 88 and end wall- 39, and preferably an integralrectangular flange -10 extending outward from the end and side walls.The excess' material is gathered in, to form crinkles 41 at the cornersof the tray and the flange rim, which serve, moreover, to stiffen thetray. The symbol 42 is preferably printed or painted with an opaquepigment both on the exterior and interior face of the tray base. Thetray after being formed preferably by a die, is impregnated in a bathof.

paraffin and then allowed to dry.

The spaces between words are formed by trays similar to that described,but rendered completely opaque throughout the entire surface thereof,one of said spacer units being shown at 4 3.

It will be understood that in making up any particular sign, theselected character units or trays are laid into the corresponding openwindows 22 of the front plate or character frame 21, which, for thispurpose, is laid down in horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 4,whereupon the hinged backing plate 28 is tilted downward and locked inposition by applying the lock strip 31. l.hereupon, the cover 17 israised and held closed by means of the wing nut-18. It will be seen thateach of the characters is securely clamped in position at its borderflange 41-0 between the slats making up the contour of thecorrespondingwindows in the character plate 21 and the correspondingslats of the backing plate. The character plate positions the characterunits and the backingplate locks them in place.

As best shown in 3, the rims lO of the character trays are so securelyclamped between the slats of the character frame 21 and those of thebacking plate 28 that no light will escape around the rims of saidtrays. The light, colored by the gelatin strips, is transmitted onlythrough the face 37 and the side and end: wallsof the trays, producingthe rich three dimensional elfect of thick solid, illuminated colored,frosted glass, or of marble or amber, rigidly secured in correspondingbezels and protruding outward therefrom. The light emanates not onlyfrom the face but also from the side and end walls of the characterunits. Y

The character units though of trifling cost are not brittle as glass;they are form sustaining and not subject to injury by handling or byheat due to the lamp. The tray units not in use can be kept in nestedstacks, since their side and end wallsflare as shown,

without danger of marring by abrasion or adhesion.

W hil'e the character units are preferably made in the specific mannerdescribed, it will be understood that it would be within the scope of myinvention, in its broader aspect, to press the same directly from paperpulp. It would also be within the scope of the i nvention to substitutefor paper, other fabrics, such as vellum, oil. cloth, thin leather andthe like.

lVhile I prefer to form the holding rim of the character unit as anintegral part of the character block or panel, it is within the scope ofthe invention to provide separate and distinct holding clips or otheratt-achii'ig means for the character units.

In Fig. 7' is shown an alternative cmbodi ment for locking the backingplate 28 in position. The various parts of Fig. 7 are substantiallyidentical with those of Fig.3 and corresponding parts are designatedbythe same reference numerals primed. In this connection, however, I haveshown in lieu of the lock strip 31 extending longitudinally of thebacking plate a transverse locking-rod 50. This rod has an upturnedhandle end 51 and is passed through a pair of loops or staples 5:2 and58, one at the lower channel of the window 24; and the other at the baseof the frame. The rod 50 of which several may be used, when placed inpositionas shown reacts againstthe various channels or runners 34 on thebacking frame and eii'cctively prevents buckling of the same. WVhen itis desired to replace the characters, the rods 50 are simply withdrawnand the backing plate is released. The handle 51 may be turned iiatagainst the window when the parts are assembled.

It will thus be seen that there is herein described an apparatus inwhich the several features of this invention are embodied, and whichapparatus in its action attains the various objects of the invention andis well suited to meet the requirements of practical use.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

ill

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters-Patent of the United States is 1. An illuminateddisplay sign comprising a casing having a front cover plate providedwith tiers of rectangular apertures therein, translucent rectangularcharacter carrying devices protruding forward through the apertures toform words or sentences, and each provided with a rim extending in backof the front plate, and a backing plate,

means releasably securing said backing plate in position against saidfront plate to secure the rims of said character carrying devices inposition.

2. An illuminated display sign having a cover provided with a grille ofrectangular Windows, rectangular translucent character carrying devicesreinovably positioned in said windows to form words or sentences,eachprovided with a flange extending in back of the plate, a backingplate'structurc having window apertures therein, translucent coloredstrips removably positioned relative to said backing structure to extendover said windows, said backing structure having solid metal parts'toengage the rims of said character carrying devices and means toreleasably secure said backing structure in engaging position.

3. An illuminated display sign comprising a casing having a source oflight therein, a front cover having a grille of rectangular aperturestherein, a backing plate having apertures therein to register with thoseof said cover plate when said backing plate is brought against thelatter, said two plates aifording a clamping construction for securingin position translucent. display characters for said windows.

i. A luminous display sign comprising a casing, acover therefor having agrille of windows therein, translucent display characters mounted inposition at said windows, a

backing plate hinged at the lower edge of said cover, said backing platehaving metal strips to extend along the window rims of said cover whenelevated to operative position, and locking means retaining said backingplate in operative position, whereby translucent characters may beclamped in position between said cover and said backing plate atprotruding portions thereof extending therebetween from beyond the rimsof the windows.

5. An illuminated display sign comprising a casing having a source oflight therein,

(5. A luminous display sign comprising a casing'having a source playcover having a grille of rectangular windows therein for retainingtranslucent characters, a backing plate hinged to the lower edge of thecover plate and having a grille of windows therein to register withthose of the cover when the backing plate is raised to closed position,a removable lock strip for retaining the backing plate locked againstthe cover, said backing plate having holding strips for retainingtranslucent colored sheets. I

, 7. A character unit for a luminous display sign, said unit beingtray-shaped to present a substantially block-shaped exterior, the faceof said tray being light-transmitting in part and opaque in part todetermine the symbol represented thereon, and means at the rim of thetray unit by which the latter is held in position in the sign.

8. A character unit for a luminous display sign, said unit beingtray-shaped to presenta substantially block-shaped exterior, the face ofsaid tray being light-transmitting in part and opaque in part todetermine the symbol represented thereon, and fastening means protrudingoutward from the rim of the tray and serving to hold the unit inposition in a luminous display sign.

9. A character unit for a luminous display sign comprising agenerallyrectangular tray-shaped body of translucent material of light therein, adistill having the symbol thereon in opaque pigment, said tray havingfastening means unitary therewith. and protruding outward therefrom forattachment of the unit in posi 'tion.

10, A character unit for a luminous display" sign, said unit comprisinga trayshaped' element of form-retaining translu cent sheet material, theface of said tray having the symbol thereof applied thereto in opaquepigment, the .rim of said tray being bent outward to present means forretaining the character in position at the sign.

11: A character unit for a luminous display sign comprising a formretaining tray of translucent pressed sheet material the face of said.tray having the symbol thereof applied thereto in opaque pigment, saidtray having an outstanding flange at its rim by which it may be secured?in position in the sign.

12.. A character unit for a luminous display sign, said unit comprisingatlatpanel of translucentnon-friable material having an opaque symbolthereon, and retaining means for said unit formed rigid therewith andextending outward to the roar of said panel beyond the peripherythereof.

A character unit for a luminous display sign comprising a form-retainingtrayshaped element of translucent fibrous material 'having the symbol inopaque pigmenton the face thereof, said tray having holding means.therefor rigid therewith and at the rim thereof.

145. A character unit for a luminous displaysiign comprising arectangular tray composed of impregnated paper fibre having the symbolthereon in opaque pigment, said tray having at its rim, means forremovably securing the same in position.

15.. A character unit for a luminous display sign: comprising a sheetpaper tray havingthe material thereof krinkl'ed to form the corners oredges thereof, and having an integral outstanding rim, the symbol beingdepicted thereon with an opaque outline.

E6. The method of forming a character element for a luminous displaysign. which consistsin placing opaque characters on sheet paper,pressing the paper in a die int-o tray form, and impregnating withparafiisn to produce a sin'iulation of a solid slab of glass or similarmaterial.

17. An illuminated display sign conrprising a casing having a source oflight therein,

a cover therefor, said cover haviiig a metal- :t'rame provided with agrille of window openings therein for translucent characters, a backingplatehinged at the lower edge of the cover and having a grille of windowapertures to register with those in. the cover plate, locking rodsextending at right angles to the hinged edge of the plate and staplesfor positioning the same in fixed position at said cover above and belowsaid backing plate, the length of said: rods reacting against saidbacking plate and holding the same securely positioned against saidcover plate;

18. An: illuminated display sign comprising a casing having a frontcover plate pro vided with tiers of rectangular apertures therein,translucent rectangular character carrying devices protruding forwardthrough the apertures to form words or sentences, and each provided witha rim extending in back of the front plate, and a backing platecooperating with the front plate, and means releasably securing saidbacking plate in position against said front plate to secure the rims ofsaid carrying devices in position.

19'. An illuminated display sign comprising a casing having a frontcover plate provided with tiers of apertures therein, translucentcharacter carrying devices protruding forward through the apertures toform words or sentences, and each provided with a rim extending in backof the front plate, and hacking means cooperating with the front plate,and means releasably securing said: backing means in position againstsaid front plate to secure the rims of said carrying devices inposition.

20. A character unit for a luminous display sign comprising a forumretainingtray shaped element of translucent fibrous material having acharacter in opaque pigment on the face thereof, said tray having at itsrim, means for removably securing the same in position. 7

21. As an article of manufacture, a sign letter element produced fromflexible material' and comprising a front wall, side and end wallsconverging toward said front wall, a flange about the inner edges ofsaidside and end walls, and a character delineated on the outer face of thefront wall.

Signed at New York city in the county of New York and State of New Yorkthis 29th day of October, A. D 1926.

WVILLIAM HERR'SOHAFT;

